Stackmat Pro Timer Issues

[qqwref]

Apparently the pro timers at this competition really sucked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSm4yUj52hk

 

[XTowncuber]

Apparently the pro timers at this competition really sucked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSm4yUj52hk

Wow, that is really bad. I've seen timer fails like this before but...ouch. Is it just a matter of getting used to it? I have a pro timer and I don't have this problem.

Out of curiosity, do speedstackers also notice this difference?

 

[~Adam~]

My 2x2 timer fail cost me a place in the 2nd round. I didn't even bother to check if the timer had stopped, because why wouldn't it, so added 0.8 onto my 2nd solve =(

 

[TMOY]

My 2x2 timer fail cost me a place in the 2nd round. I didn't even bother to check if the timer had stopped, because why wouldn't it, so added 0.8 onto my 2nd solve =(

I got a timer fail on 2^3 too (stopping it didn't work on first attempt, worked only on second), it didn't have a significant incidence on my results (it didn't cost me a qualification or a PB), but yes, these things seem to happen way too often with the new timers.

 

[Faz]

Apparently the pro timers at this competition really sucked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSm4yUj52hk

Oh wow, that really sucks. That shouldn't be happening, especially when world records are at stake (for Alex).
An issue I had at worlds was that they reset after I stopped them (twice on critical solves). That's never happened for me on a gen-2 timer, as far as I can remember.

 

[BillyRain]

Oh wow, that really sucks. That shouldn't be happening, especially when world records are at stake (for Alex).
An issue I had at worlds was that they reset after I stopped them (twice on critical solves). That's never happened for me on a gen-2 timer, as far as I can remember.

Faz at worlds did the pro timers have the protective rings around the power and reset buttons?

The ones we have do, so we didn't have any reset issues.. but the stopping issue is very apparent

 

[Faz]

Faz at worlds did the pro timers have the protective rings around the power and reset buttons?

The ones we have do, so we didn't have any reset issues.. but the stopping issue is very apparent

I don't think they did, no.

 

[Kirjava]

Yeah, screwed me over a few times during the comp.

Was told that we just have to make do with it.

 

[BillyRain]

Yeah, screwed me over a few times during the comp.

Was told that we just have to make do with it.

Erm.. who said that to you?

"Making do" with inaccurate timing equipment in an official competition is not good enough.

 

[Goosly]

11a) Incidents include:
(...)
11a3) Equipment malfunction.
11b) If an incident occurs, the WCA Delegate determines an impartial and appropriate course of action.
11d) If the WCA Regulations are not fully clear or if the incident is not covered by the WCA Regulations, then the WCA Delegate must make his decision based on fair sportsmanship.
11e) If an incident occurs during an attempt, the WCA Delegate may award a competitor an extra attempt, replacing the attempt during which the incident occurred (...)

If timer malfunctions happened that often, why did no one ask for an extra attempt?

 

[TMOY]

If timer malfunctions happened that often, why did no one ask for an extra attempt?

Don't know about others, but in my case, the timer malfunction occurred on a lucky solve, on which I got 3.64 instead of low 3 or so. If I had asked for an extra, I would most probably have gotten a slower time (I vareage between 5 and 6), keeping the 3.64 was thus the best option.

 

[Kirjava]

I asked the WCA Delegate about it and he was the one that said we had to make do.

 

[kinch2002]

The reasons I just let it be was because
1. No-one who had the issue tried to prove to me that it was replicable while stopping the timer in the normal way.
2. I couldn't replicate it without stopping the timer in a weird way (e.g. bouncing lightly off it, or only hitting the side of it). Therefore I assumed this is what people were doing.
3. I never had the problem, and I did many many solves, so it seems unlikely that it is a random unlucky occurrence.

Having seen Alex's video, I am a bit perplexed. I thought his first few problems were because he was bouncing too quickly off it, but the video shows otherwise.

I'm sorry if it affected you, but I didn't feel that it was within my power to award extra solves.

The timers will be distributed for extensive use/testing before the next comp so we'll see what happens.

 

[Kirjava]

Didn't occur to me to try and demonstrate it.

 

[BillyRain]

Didn't occur to me to try and demonstrate it.

I thought it was commonly known that to make a timer complaint you need to be able to replicate it..? Could be wrong.

 

[Kirjava]

I thought it was commonly known that to make a timer complaint you need to be able to replicate it..? Could be wrong.

When I initially raised my concern it was dismissed as a non-issue. I was told that it was my fault for not stopping correctly.

If I make a timer complaint, and you know that I need to replicate it for it to be valid, please ask me to replicate it instead of telling me that I don't have a valid complaint.

 

[kinch2002]

When I initially raised my concern it was dismissed as a non-issue. I was told that it was my fault for not stopping correctly.

If I make a timer complaint, and you know that I need to replicate it for it to be valid, please ask me to replicate it instead of telling me that I don't have a valid complaint.

If you did make the complaint to me and I didn't ask you to replicate it, then I am sorry. It was because other people already had the same issue and had unsuccessfully tried to replicate it therefore in my mind it was the same issue with the same cause. If you complained to Billy then that's the wrong route to go down, so there is no blame attached to him.

 

[Kirjava]

If you did make the complaint to me and I didn't ask you to replicate it, then I am sorry. It was because other people already had the same issue and had unsuccessfully tried to replicate it therefore in my mind it was the same issue with the same cause.

It probably is - at this point we really just need to do some testing.

If you complained to Billy then that's the wrong route to go down, so there is no blame attached to him.

I didn't, was just responding to his points.

 

[kinch2002]

It probably is - at this point we really just need to do some testing.

Yes timers will be distributed to people I see between now at Cuthberts. If you want one specifically then I'd be happy to send 1 or 2 to you.

I didn't, was just responding to his points.

OK that's fine. I wasn't sure who you meant when you said that you made the complaint - I can't remember everybody who talks to me during a comp

 

[Kirjava]

Yes timers will be distributed to people I see between now at Cuthberts. If you want one specifically then I'd be happy to send 1 or 2 to you.

Probably better to use someone else, as my attendance is tentative atm.

OK that's fine. I wasn't sure who you meant when you said that you made the complaint - I can't remember everybody who talks to me during a comp

You should remember me though because I'm super cool :c